Review: Actors step up to dramatic challenge of MCT’s ‘Streetcar’

Published 9:45 am, Saturday, October 25, 2014

Cody Petty and Jami Witt as Stanley and Stella Kowalski with Laura Metzger, right, as Blanche DuBois in Midland Community Theatre's 'A Streetcar Named Desire.'

Cody Petty and Jami Witt as Stanley and Stella Kowalski with Laura Metzger, right, as Blanche DuBois in Midland Community Theatre's 'A Streetcar Named Desire.'

Photo: Courtesy MCT

Review: Actors step up to dramatic challenge of MCT’s ‘Streetcar’

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The audience is not introduced to Blanche DuBois in MCT’s “A Streetcar Named Desire,” but instead, she is thrust upon us beginning with a percolating meek entrance to a dynamo of emotion by the conclusion.

We are merely caught in her gravity and along for the ride.

Tennessee Williams’ landmark play is a work that challenges sophistication to primal urge, which is the undertone to Blanche’s (Laura Metzger) relationship with her brother-in-law Stanley Kowalski (Cody Petty). With weighted layers of domestic abuse, alcoholism and emotional discourse, “Streetcar” is clearly a formidable piece, but guest director Steve Reynolds met the challenge with a crisp and well-paced production.

At three hours, the two acts might sound intimidatingly long, but a drama like “Streetcar” benefits from that. We aren’t shepherded by punch lines or musical numbers to the next bit, but instead, we get deep glimpses into the lives of Williams’ quartet of leads. This is helped by the able cast.

Petty’s challenge as Stanley is to portray both a monster and a caretaker. Petty erupted with ferocity whether in a drunken stupor or a frustrated mood, which was perpetual. Petty cut an intimidating figure and offered the appropriate hunkiness usually associated with Stanley, but he never dumbed down the character merely because of his blue-collar simplicity. In more tender moments, though, I never quite felt Petty dialed it back enough. The softer times between he and Stella were nervous for me because he had to be such a powder keg.

Oh, and the famous “Stella” yell? Nailed it.

Daniel Collins fit the bill perfectly for the sentimental Mitch but with some bumps. Initially, he gave Mitch several flairs with shrugs and facial expressions that read more slapstick. When he calmed that down, Collins was on fire. His arc from nice guy to jilted lover was potent. Of all the characters, we want to root for Mitch. But his baggage is just as weighty as the others.

Jami Witt, who returned to the MCT stage as Stella Kowalski, delivered a resolute, confident performance. She doesn’t play Stella as a shrinking flower despite her blinded love for her brutish husband and servitude to her sister. She gave Stella a clear sense of self instead of succumbing to being victimized and ultimately weak, which also begged the question of whether she is potentially as manipulative as her sister.

That is somewhat the glory of “Streetcar.” There are no heroes here but instead, who’s side should we be on? If any?

The show belongs to Laura Metzger’s driven performance as Blanche who also perpetuated that question. Clearly someone with mental issues, do we blame her for the disruption she causes or feel sorry for her because of her mental state?

Metzger ascribed to the more familiar portrayals of Blanche, but her performance was no less riveting. Metzger was never delicate as Blanche but decidedly fragile. Her fits were as unpredictable as Stanley’s outbursts while matching his strength with her guile. In her downward spiral, Metzger took Blanche to frightful places. In her comeuppance, Metzger and Reynolds don’t ask the audience to weep for her, but instead, let us decide if we should or should not.